Chapter Twenty-Five – Mirror

August 24, 2007

Chapter Number: 25

Chapter Name: Mirror

Page Numbers: 554-579

Date of Chapter: June 15th, 2006

Summary:Bella is stunned as she absorbs what has just taken place. She is frozen in place as she watches Edward dismember what remains of Victoria. Bella scrutinizes Edward’s every move, and is greatly relieved to find that he is unharmed. Seth and Edward finish gathering the body parts of the defeated vampires and set them on fire. As a purple pillar of smoke fills the sky, Seth and Edward share victorious congratulations.

Bella notices that Edward seems to be avoiding her. She thinks to herself that when he finally looks at her “his eyes were as wary as if I was another enemy.” Bella is still clinging to the rock in her broken hand as Edward approaches her. Bella is confused when she realizes that Edward thinks she is afraid of him and reassures him that she is not. She explains that she is just “freaking out” about the recent events and needs a few moments. As they hold each other, both Bella and Edward begin to relax.

Relieved that Edward and Seth are unharmed and that the fight is over, Bella recalls the complication Edward mentioned earlier. Before Edward can explain, he and Seth are rocked by something that is happening within the pack. Bella screams as both Edward and Seth fall to the ground in agony. Wincing, Edward says “Sam- help him” and then says they are “going to be okay”. A confused Bella soon realizes that Edward is speaking as a member of the pack. Edward suddenly jumps to his feet, taking Bella in his arms. After adamantly sending Seth home, Edward starts running with Bella back towards the clearing. He explains to Bella that Alice has had a vision of the Volturi. They will arrive in the clearing in a matter of moments. Edward reassures Bella that she is safe; Jane and the others are not here for her. They have been sent to clean up the mess the newborns have made.

As they approach the clearing, Bella asks Edward what happened to him and Seth earlier. Hesitant to upset Bella, Edward reluctantly tells her that Leah was attacked by a newborn. Edward explains that after the pack thought all of the vampires had been defeated, Leah found and went after a newborn on her own. Bella faints when she realizes that Jacob intervened and was hurt during the struggle.

As Edward assures her that Jacob will make a full recovery, Bella wakes. Carlisle also assures Bella that Jacob will be fine. As she stands, Bella notices that there are 8 vampires in the clearing. Jasper is guarding a newborn that is writhing in pain. Carlisle explains that he did not destroy her because she surrendered. Bella warily takes note of how wild and blood thirsty the newborn is. She wonders if she is staring at a mirror into her future.

Not a moment later, Jane and her entourage arrive. Jane is perplexed when she sees the newborn and quickly informs Carlisle that there are no second chances for those who break the rules, even those who don’t know that there are rules. Jane sends Aro’s regards and asks about the newborn army. She is surprised to learn that there were 20 vampires, including Victoria. Jane turns her attention to the newborn. As she tortures her with her wicked gaze, the newborn tells Jane that her name is Bree. Bree claims that she did not know her creator, she only knew Riley. Victoria was purposefully kept at a distance from the army. Bree goes on to say that she and the army were brought to forks under the assumption that the “yellow-eyes” were coming to get them. Riley told her that if they destroyed the coven, the city (and all the blood in it) would be theirs. He also gave them Bella’s scent, saying that she would be with the yellow-eyes and Bella’s presence would let them know that they had found the right coven. Edward’s temper flares when Bree discloses that Riley “said whoever got to her first could have her.”

Jane tells Carlisle that she is impressed that they were able to take out the army alone. She laughs when she learns that the reason for the attack was that Victoria held a grudge against Bella. She smiles her torturous smile at Bella, saying, “This one seems to bring out bizarrely strong reactions in our kind.” Edward is not pleased that Jane has tried (and again failed) to use her power on Bella.

As they leave, there is a curious exchange between Edward and Jane regarding the timing of the Volturi’s arrival. Bella notes that “Edward nodded once to himself, his suspicions confirmed.” Jane gives a not so friendly reminder that Caius will be interested to learn that Bella is still human. Alice quickly jumps in, assuring Jane that the date for the transformation is set. After ordering Felix to destroy Bree, Jane and the other guards make their exit.

[…] onto the shore.Based on these observations I think this is around or just before Ch 25 (Mirror) [Read summary at Twilight Lexicon] when the New Borns (led by Riley) come to Forks. I think (as often happens) the movie has changed […]

[…] When James began his hunt for Bella, Esme switched clothes with Bella to try to confuse the scent. She and Rosalie took Bella’s truck in a direction opposite from where Bella was going with Jasper and Alice. (TW19) She continued to be supportive of the relationship even after Bella’s disastrous 18th birthday party. She left Forks at Edward’s request, and went with Carlisle to Ithaca where she restored a seventeenth century house located in the forest north of the city. (NM17) When asked to vote if Bella should become a vampire, Esme voted in favor of the change. (NM24) She fought alongside the rest of her family and the werewolves when the threat from Victoria loomed after Bella’s graduation. (EC25) […]